Residents praise Loganville bypass

It's quieter on West Ore Street in Loganville, and many like it that way.

When Jennifer and Kristofer Baumgartner bought a home in Springfield Township last year, one of the selling points was that West Ore Street would become a dead-end when a new bypass around Loganville opened.

The couple has two young girls and liked the idea that traffic would decrease when West Ore Street ended with a cul-de-sac near their home.

"We've seen a large decrease in traffic -- especially in the morning," Jennifer Baumgartner said. "It has been a lot quieter."

Delivery trucks now use the new Route 214. Residents of nearby Logan's Reserve can exit the housing development via the bypass or West Ore Street. And drivers now can pull out more easily onto the Susquehanna Trail from West Ore Street.

The only problem some residents have noticed was a mix-up with snow removal during the nor'easter last month. West Ore Street wasn't plowed for a day because of a miscommunication on behalf of the state Department of Transportation.

The state is in the process of transferring ownership of the street to Loganville borough, and a plow operator wasn't clear that both the old and new Route 214 were supposed to be cleared, said Steve Grassetti, PennDOT manager for York County.

PennDOT has addressed the situation, and residents said they haven't had a problem since.

Changes with the road hasn't affected business, either. The town's post office is on West Ore Street, and it's been busier than usual early in the morning and late in the afternoon -- but that's not because of the road.

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It's because the postal service reduced hours in Jacobus, and customers are coming to Loganville, post master Wendy Sponseller said.

"A lot of people didn't know I was here before then," she said.

Junior Altland, shop foreman at Structural Restoration Services Inc., said the company does commercial work and is known for its reputation, so less traffic hasn't had an impact.

The employees thought that when the new road was built, they only would be able to access the bypass by traveling north on the Susquehanna Trail to the traffic light.

But they can use Player Boulevard through Logan's Reserve to reach the bypass and travel west of town.

"I'm glad we can because it saves us time," Altland said.

Trish Ballas of Heidelberg Township watches her grandchildren at their home in Logan's Reserve. It seems that some drivers are cutting through the development rather than using the bypass, she said, but they like it. The new road has made it easier to get out.

Ronald Tombesi, president of Loganville's council, said the final piece of the puzzle has yet to be added. Another road will connect with the bypass when more houses are built nearby. Because of the economy, it isn't clear when that will happen.

He said the bypass has done the job officials wanted it to do.

"In my eyes, right now, I think it's a big success," Tombesi said.

AT A GLANCE

The new Route 214 Loganville Connector, also known as the Loganville bypass, opened to traffic in early October.

The nearly $6.7 million project was built by Kinsley Construction for the state Department of Transportation.

The bypass is intended to take traffic around the northern side of the borough, alleviating the congestion at the square and allowing traffic to get to Interstate 83 easily.